Zanzibar Jamaat’s
spontaneous invitation has brought the Supreme Council this year to Zanzibar.
Indeed it is a historic occasion as Zanzibar itself abounds in the history of
the community. It was here that our forefathers had first landed in the mid
nineteenth century abandoning the shores of ‘Kutch’ and ‘Kathiawad’
in look out for greener pastures, and in their own lingo proclaiming Zanzibar
as‘Jangbar’.

As the delegates from all over the
world alight from the ship they will be carrying with them weighty emotions and
hoping to get a glimpse of their ancestral houses in the stone town, the schools
where they had studied and the narrow streets and corners where they had played
as children. Some may wander at Forodhani, Mnazimoja or even take a drive
to Chwakah or Jambiani where many an evening of olden days had
been leisured out.

On landing, the ghost stonetown is
imbued with nostalgia and traversing through Malindi’s narrow lanes
Kiponda Road is reached where the small ‘Sabil’ monument built by
Janmohamed Chattu in commemoration of 1300th anniversary of Imam Husain’s
martyrdom becomes evident. Opposite it stands the new Fez School building
(Ithnashri School) which was built in 1958 by Husain Dharamsi Gangji
replacing the old Fez School across the narrow passage, and it is this
old Fez School Building which takes one down the memory lane. Today it
may not seem of any significance but it was here sometime in the 1870s, away
from the Jamaatkhana, that our revered elders used to gather and resolve
decisive issues. Eventually their religious zealot paved the way to dissidence
from the main Khoja group whose redoubtable leader, Tharia Topan (later
knighted and a street named after him), was unforgiving and tolerated no
uprising.

It must be noted here that prior
to the dissident movement our ancestry had enjoyed the right of adapting itself
to all the normal Islamic precedence such as namaaz, rozas, kissas(majlis),
niyaz etcetera. It was only later when restrictive measures were imposed and
the faithful debarred from performing normal rituals that the revolution within
the Khojas erupted, both in Zanzibar as well as India.

The likes of Dewji Jamal invited
the faithful to the old Fez School Building where they prayed namaaz,
recited majlis and served niyaz. Leading among the revolutionaries
were the two Walji Rawji brothers, Mohamedjaffer and Jhanmohamed. Heedless of
any threats after receiving moral consent from the British Resident in 1880
Mohamedjaffer built the mosque adjoining the old Fez School Building
while the other brother Jhanmohamed procured the Kabrastan Plot at
Rahaleo. Obviously the predecessors lie buried at the Khoja IsmailiKabrastan at Mnazimoja beside the Coopers ground. Incidentally
Mohamedjaffer Rawji was buried at the mosque and his grave still lies there. The
Sheriff Dewji family went on to acquire a plot at Mkunazini, converted it
into bustan where they buried their family members and held majilises
on Sundays.

The revered Dewji Jamaal

According to Marhum Haji Karim Allarakhia’s report “The
Kuwwat mosque and early imambara were built by donations from
among the original (founding) members of the community which numbered some 250
souls in 1880. The donation included about Rs.8000 which Dewji Jamal and
Allarakhia Walli, both formerly of Mumbai, had mobilized from Mumbai. Other
large donors were Mohamed Walji Rawji and Walli Nazerali. During this period
Jhanmohamed Walji Rawji also bought a piece of land for burial.”

By the year 1881 the mosque was
completed and even the Imambara (ground floor level) built by its side.
The plot for the Imambara could be obtained through the good office of
Major Mohamed Ahmed Khan (Kalbe Ali Khan) who was one of the wazir of
Sultan Majid Bin Said. He also initiated the inclusion of Ashhaduanna Aliyun
WaliyuIlah in the azan from the mosque. The Imambara was
partly financed by Rhemtulla Tejani and carpeted by Mohamed Walli Dharsi. The
stage was thus set in Zanzibar in 1881 for the formation of the Khoja Shia
IthnashriKuwwatul Islam Jamaat, the first ever KhojaShia
IthnashriJamaat in the world, with Pira Walli as its first
President.

The Mujtahed of the time
Sheikh Zainul Abedin Mazindarani was contacted and Agha Sayad Abdulhusain Jawaad
Marshi Musawi dispatched to Zanzibar as Residential Alim. He inculcated
upon the faithful the true version of the mazhabShiaism, thus
giving momentum to the faith.

There goes an interesting anecdote
that once sometime in 1900 Zanzibar was hit by a severe drought. All the
communities were called up to pray for the rains. Sayad Abdulhusain assembled
all the Ithnashris at 4:00 a.m. in the sahan of the mosque where
they said their Fajar prayers and then were led to Mnazimoja where
in the open NamazeIstiska was said. As soon as the prayers were
over the skies opened and it rained incessantly. Sultan Humud was impressed and
wanted to meet in person Sayad Abdulhusain who had to be collected from his
residence. The Sultan became so overwhelmed by the presence of the impeccable
alim that he accompanied him all the way back to his residence in the
chariot ridden by two horses. Such was the grandeur of the old ulema.

Also around that time a leading
ulema from Hyderabad, Aqa Sayad Gulamhusain, paid a visit to Zanzibar. His
sermons, eloquence and charisma drifted away a section of the community who
formed their own Jamaat (Khoja Shia Ithnashri Hujjatul IslamJamaat).
They went on to build their own mosque, a huge Imambara and even acquired a
Kabrastan plot across Mwembeladu.

The cynosure of the Hujjat
Mosque is its minaret built by Mohamed Rhemtulla Merali (Mamu Hariri). The
Hujjat Jamaat also benefited a lot from the generous Datoo Hemani and Nasser
Noormohamed whose immense property was entrusted to it. The Datoo Hemani
Kanyashara was the school for girls while Nasser Noormohamed Dispensary provided
medical facilities. The dispensary was a huge architectural monument but sadly
its trusteeship was taken over by the government from the community. The
dispensary ceased to operate as the object of the Trust and in its stead today
stands an ostentatiously displayed Cultural Centre. There were recreational
spots too, Saun Bagh on Hollis Road (once the Dr. Livingstone House) and
Kursum Bagh on Kilimamgu, where often a large gathering met, recited
majlises and held feasts.

Interestingly the Zanzibaris refer
to Kuwwat as Junni and Hujjat as Nai. Those keen on
history may know that while the members of the Kuwwat Jamaat consisted
mainly of Kutchis with the interlinkage of few Kathiawadis those
of Hujjat Jamaat comprised mainly Jamnagris with few Kutchis. In
fact, some of those few Junni Kathiawadi families included the prominent
ones of Jamalias (Sheriff Dewji), Mammu Walli Dharsi and Rashid Nathani
who were originally Bhavnagri/Mavai.

One of the Kutchi was a
youthful and enterprising Ali Nathoo who had emerged on the Zanzibar scene in
1886 from the remote Nagalpur. He went on to succeed Pira Walli as the President
of Kuwwat jamaat and reined the presidency for a record 23 years. He
amassed wealth and his charity knew no bounds. The Kuwwat imambara built
upon the old one was fully financed by him and done on a grand scale.

Ali Nathoo’s charity after the
First World War and during the famine in Zanzibar was unsurpassable. The British
Resident offered him knighthood but he declined the title ‘Sir’. The Resident
was so much impressed by his nobility and selflessness that he enquired of him
if he could be of service to him. The great man requested for public holidays
for 10th Muharram and 21st
Ramadhan. His wishes were granted and these two sacred days were marked as
public holidays for 45 years from 1920 to 1964. In fact Zanzibar had been the
only place besides Iran where 21st Ramadhan was observed as
public holiday. Even today Zanzibar has a street known as Kwa Ali Nathoo.

Another notable President of the Kuwwat jamaat
was Husain Allarakhia Rahim, the Public Prosecutor with the Zanzibar Government
and hence referred to as PP. He went on to become a Magistrate in the High
Court. Husain Rahim was dedicated to serving Islam and the community. After the
Second World War he introduced the Ithnashri Voluntary Corps with Ibrahim
Husain Shariff as its Chairman, Ali Jivraj as Secretary and Abbas Tejani as
Treasurer. There were other Presidents too of the Kuwwat jamaat and these
included Husain Sheriff Dewji, Fazel Nasser Mawji, M.D.Kermali, M.A.Saleh, Husain Nazarali, Abdulrasul Khakoo and
Sherali Ahmed Ladha.

In regard to Resident Alims
Agha Sayad Abdulhusain who passed away in Mecca in 1905 was succeeded by his son
in law, Agha Sayad Husain Habibullah Shustari Musawi. Sayad Husain was a very
pious and humble man. He was also the most popular having remained the
Residential Alim for 40 years till his death in Zanzibar in 1945. He was
buried in Chunga Khan along Rahaleo, the burial ground for the
Aghas and Bahrainis. There after followed Agha Sayad Mohamedhusain
Nashirul Islam Musawi, Sayad Jabir Hassan, Tahzibul Hassan and a few others.

Agha Husain and Agha Abdulhusain
had built up big families. The household of Aghas in Zanzibar was their
progeny and held in very high esteem by the Khoja Ithnashris. Also there
were Shia Bahrainis.They had a mehfil known as Matemni in
Kiponda.Their Alim was Sayad Abbas who was famous for his
Kiswahili idiolect.

Zanzibar as compared to other
towns in Africa had the highest population of Khoja Ithnashris and they
numbered almost 5000, as a result of further conversion and the influx of more
arrivals from Kutch and Kathiawad. Such had been the impact of
Zanzibar on the community that eventually Kiswahili became the mother
tongue (not necessarily the ancestral language but the language one speaks and
thinks in) of most of them though with typical dialect and intermixture of
Kutchi here and there.

In fact the settlement on the
mainland Tanganyika, Kenya and Uganda took place much later, sometime after
1920s though the Coastal towns of Bagamoyo, Kilwa, Tanga, Mombasa and Lamu had
small settlements earlier.

The Zanzibaris were well known for
their imandari, azadari and khatardari. The building referred to
as old Fez School Building was transformed into school in 1928 after the
consent of Sayad Abdul Hassan Isfahani was sought. To begin with it had three
tutors in M.M.Jaffer(Mulla Asgar’s father), H.M.Rashid and Hassanali Rashid who
themselves had earlier been sent to Luknow by a samaritan, Husain Rashid Nathani,
for dini talim. The Fez became a full fledged night school where
besides dinyat the languages Arabic, Farsi and Urdu were
taught. Absulrasul Alidina Saleh became its first principal followed by
Gulamhusain Sachu Lalji, Mohamed Jivraj and Mohamedhusain Sachu Lalji. The
school had some highly knowledgeable malims in Agha Mehdi Shustari
(grandson of Agha Husain), Mohamedjaffer Nathani (Malim Miya), Gulamhusain Peera,
Najaf Tejani, Ahmed Issa and many more. During daytime Malim Maulidi, Malim
Rajabali (Malim Rajabu) and Mulla Suleman (Mulla Karo) rendered selfless service
providing koranic lessons to the children.

The old Faiz school where the dissident
movement had gained momentum and eventually leading to the formation of the
first ever Khoja Shia Ithnashri Jamaat in the world.

The publication of dinyat and various mazhabi
kitaabs by Mohamedjaffer Sheriff Dewji and the periodical Salsabil by
Gulamhusain Mohmed Walli Dharsi and Mohamed Jivraj enlightened Zanzibaris and
enhanced their imandari. As a matter of fact it was Salsabil which
provided impetus to Federation inviting articles on it and offering prizes. All
these were printed at Fazal Jhanmohamed Master's 'Husaini Printing Press' that
was established in 1901. The press published the Sunday weekly 'Samachar' that
was leading in imparting publicity to the Khoja Ithnashris.

Azadari in Zanzibar
was second to none. People from outside travelled to Zanzibar during the months
of Ramadhan, Muharram and Saffar specifically to participate in
the azadari. The Zanzibar shabihs and julus assumed a
pattern of their own and were later adopted by the other Africa jamaats,
some of which even emulated the staging of ‘Husain Day’ that used to be an
annual event observed with solemnity at Old Fort (Portuguese Fort) at night. It
was attended by a mass cosmopolitan public and among the dignitaries included
the Sultan and the British Resident, and its proceedings broadcast live on
Sauti Ya Unguja (Radio Zanzibar).

The packed audience at the Junni
Imambara listening to majlis by Allama Akil Turabi-1960

Majlis by Akil Turabi at Mehfile Shahe
Khurasan 'Kiwanjani'-1960

The majlises resounded on
microphone from various mehfils. It was at Taziakhana under the
watchful supervision of the fervent Kassamali Mohamed Walli Dharsi(Bha Kassamali)
that azadari was at its most stimulant. Another ardent azadar was
Abdulla Saleh of Mehfile Shahe Khurasan (Kiwanjani) where saf matam
continued long after midnight.

The mehfil at Mtendeni
run by Abdulrasul Peera and frequented by the members of the other sect
joining their dissident counterpart came to acquire the name Mehfile Private.
Interestingly the Hazrat Abbas’ ladu occasion that we observe annually is
an event that dates back to the Ismaili days (Abbasali ja laddu)
and to date given lot of sanctity by them. Likewise the official positions
Mukhi and Kamrio are traditionally Khoja designations to which
we adhere even today.

The opening of the Haji Rhemtulla
Tejani Dharamsara (guesthouse) was inaugurated by the British Resident in
the year 1900. The dharamsara was meant for the guests visiting Zanzibar.
The dharamsara in usage today was in fact the Bewakhana (house for
widows) built in 1932 by Mohamed Alarakhia Shivji (Mamu Chiku).

When it came to khatardari
the mahemangiri (hospitality) of the Zanzibaris was exemplary and their
khana (food) sumptuous. The imambara kitchen was catered by Gulla
Dawood whose delicious Khoja cuisine of kalio pau (aab ghosh) and
khichro (haleem) still gets talked about. The pavement outside the
Imambara was the famous barza Imamwaro, and the road alongside
converted into ‘Khushali Bankro’ (spread over with wooden benches and
chairs) on the occasion of khushalis.

Even in the field of sports the
community did not lag behind. Husain Rahim was a respected member of Zanzibar
Sports Control Board and made Chairman of its Cricket Sub Committee in 1933.
Zanzibar Ithnashri Gymkhana is said to have existed long back and had a
formidable cricket team. Mulla Raza Nathani, Maalim Mohamedjaffer Nathani,
Sherali Megji, Gulamali Kermali (Kabana), Noorali Jessa, Gulamhusain Dharamsi,
Baker Tejani, Akbar Gulamhusain and Bashir Nassar featured prominently in
cricket. Even the mainland stalwarts like Amir Yusuf, Yusuf Kermali, Amir
Gulamhusain, Bashir Tejani and Mohamed Nathoo had learnt and begun their cricket
careers from Zanzibar. The Gymkhana also had football as well as volleyball
teams.

The Sultan Sayed Abdallah bin Khalifah,
the British Resident & other dignitaries at the Husain Day at Zanzibar's Old
Fort.

The history of Zanzibaris is
littered with emotions. They were simple, peace loving and God fearing people.
There was immense brotherhood and people cared for each other.The standard of
education was extremely high and the community boasted of a number of
intellectuals. Economically people were contented and mostly Ithnashris
worked in Government Offices where administration was excellent. Those who had
business retained only minimum margin of profit that resulted in very high
purchasing power and generally a good standard of living. The Ithnashris
mostly resided in Malindi and Kiponda though a sizable number also
occupied the Hurumzi, Mkunazini and Gamboo areas. There was no
fear of theft or hooliganism and ladies could even walk all alone after
midnight.

The dream of peace always beckons
and never remains forever. The sad events of 1960s led to the exodus of the
community and its members dispersed here and there. Mohamedali Ismail Dharamsi,
Abdulrazak Chandoo and Hassanali Husain Ali Nathoo despite tiny jamaat
and hardship endeavored to preserve the legacy and traditions of Kuwwat
jamaat. Likewise today’s bench of officials is also doing its needful but
the glorious Zanzibar is mere history now.

The majority immigrants of the 19th
century and their descendants having settled in the towns of Zanzibar,
Tanganyika, Kenya, Uganda, Somalia, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Mozambique and
Madagascar adopted these countries as their home. They lost all the traces of
relatives and other contacts in India after three generations. It was the
hospitable nature of the indigenous people and the cosmopolitan policy of the
government of the day, a legacy which still continues, which gave the community
the confidence of staking its future for good or worse in these countries and
cultivate loyalty towards them.

Of the former Zanzibaris who have
since settled in UK, USA and Canada they still find themselves attached to
Zanzibar culturally. They speak Kiswahili among themselves when they meet
in the mosque for prayers and majlises. The photo albums fattened by the
old photos taken in Zanzibar are some of their precious possessions with
sentimental attachment. It is said that one belongs to where one’s pleasant
memories are and these are the childhood ones. Those who have settled abroad
from Zanzibar find that they still belong to Zanzibar. Those with means do visit
the island to refresh the past while others continue to cherish the fond
memories.

It need be stated that in the
absence of any record or archives it was not easy to compile a definitive list
of events or to logically construct a coherent narration for what must be the
most extraordinary Khoja Shia Ithnashri Jamaat. It has its paradoxes and
surprises as well as moments of glory and despair. Its contents have been based
on personal experience and interviews with a few elders of Zanzibar origin. Here
mention must be made of Maalim Najaf Tejani who was of immense help furnishing
information, providing photographs and also clarifying certain intricacies. We
thank all of them.